


They way I loved you

by Kisakitty



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Betty Cooper Needs a Hug, Break Up, F/M, Hopeful Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Makeup
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-08
Updated: 2019-04-08
Packaged: 2020-01-06 15:14:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18390965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kisakitty/pseuds/Kisakitty
Summary: Betty can't forgive Jughead this time





	They way I loved you

**Author's Note:**

> This needs heavy editing I can't promise I will ever do

Maybe Betty was naive, tricked into security the moment she got lost in his beautiful eyes. Or maybe she never really stood a chance anyway. It was her mistake, she didn’t know that to be in love you had to fight to have the upper hand or at least for an equal standing. She had so many dreams about her and Jughead: them making it together past college and into the world. Happy endings and what not. Now she knows better. She’s not a princess and this is not a fairytale. She should have known he wasn't serious about getting out of Riverdale. Part of her always knew this but a larger part refused to see it until she watched him put on the damn Serpents jacket. The moment he put it her dreams crumpled and the harsh reality of life was revealed; Jughead Jones was the same as everyone else in Riverdale, ready to fall into the same pattern everyone expected him to. She wasn't going to watch the boy she loved become the very thing he swore to hate, she deserved better than this small town and by God, she was going to get it. To truly be free she had to leave, breaking her own heart in the process.

“Betty please,” Jughead begged, “it's not what you think. They aren't what you think. I'm still the same Jughead. Please, angel, don't go.”

“No Jughead," she said firmly, "I’m sorry, but I’m not your princess and this isn’t a fairytale believe me it's far from it. I need to learn who I am outside of this town. This is a big world Juggy. Riverdale is a small town and I want more than it. I’m branching out. Maybe someday when we’re different people we can give this a go but for now, Jughead we can’t, I can’t. Goodbye.”

With that Betty got into her car and drove away watching Jughead disappear in her review mirror. It hurt but she knew it was for the best.

 

7 years later  
Betty’s new boyfriend was sensible. Derek was absolutely incredible, he always opened doors for her, never ran out of ways to compliment her, and did things that made all her single friends jealous. (Derek also never joined a notorious gang but that was a give in). Betty is perfectly fine. Betty’s mother calls Derek more than anyone else simply to talk and the kicker is that Derek is the type of person who doesn’t mind- which is nice. Betty is perfectly fine. Derek’s charming and endearing and Betty is comfortable with him. Really fine. He never pushes her to do anything she doesn’t want and he always respects her space and he’s never late for the dates they plan and when he says he’s going to call he does. He’s the perfect boyfriend. And she's 100% fine.

Betty’s not happy.

Derek can’t see past the smile she fakes every time he calls her baby, the way her heart screams for it to be someone else’s-Jugheads- voice. He doesn’t realize that every “I love you” has no effect on her- she doesn’t feel anything romantic for him. Which sucks because he's so perfect. Betty doesn't want perfect.

Betty misses Jughead. She misses the passion, she misses the screaming and fighting because the make up’s it lead to was unparalleled. The way he would kiss her- grab her cheeks in a way that made her feel safe and wanted- was toe-curling. She misses the kind of love that drives people insane, the ups and downs of love that felt like a roller coaster she never wanted to get off. Jughead was frustrating with his martyr complex but he was also intoxicating and complicated in a way Derek could never be in Betty’s eyes.

Betty and Jughead had the kind of love that had burned bright. She didn’t know what to do though. She couldn’t let herself go back to a relationship that was wonderful one day and toxic the next. So Betty kept living her life, she broke it off with Derek which was no surprise to him he simply nodded and looked sympathetic which in turn made Betty feel worse. In order to avoid her complicated love life, she threw herself into school, working hard to become a teacher and when that didn’t take up enough of her time she began volunteering at the local children’s hospital. Between studying and reading books to the children there was little time left to think about stupid beanie wearing boys.  
\-----------------------------------

Betty was absolutely bored out of her mind. Her face hurt from faking smiles and forcing laughter. It's for a good cause she had to remind herself. It was the annual charity gala for the local children’s hospital and as a reoccurring visitor, she was invited- a little forcefully- to attend. Betty would honestly rather be with the kids reading to them as usual but here she was in a tight red dress making nice with people who have big checkbooks. Betty finally caught a break after talking to Ms. Claudia- she was a lovely woman who never failed to leave a large donation but man could she talk- and headed to the bathroom. On her way back she caught sight of a familiar pair of eyes and suddenly she was captivated. Jughead Jones stood in front of her in all of his glory looking just as shocked to see her.

“Betty,” her name slipped from his mouth seemingly without his consent.

Betty closed her eyes and composed herself, “Jughead, what a pleasure to see you here. Are you making a donation?” She hated using her charity voice on him, after their past, it felt wrong and impersonal. From the way, his eye twitched he thought the same thing.

“Umm yes but not a very big one I’m afraid. I just want to thank them for taking care of Jellybean.”

“Well that’s wonderful Jughead,” Betty’s heart was pounding so loud in her chest she was pretty sure the whole room could hear it.

Betty turned to leave, determined to not let her old flame see the pull he still had over her but was stopped when a hand lightly grabbed her arm. She looked up expectedly at Jughead.

“How are you?”

It was a simple question, nothing special, but it was a start.

What started as catching up ended up being a wit-filled conversation that lasted the whole gala and by the time the crowd was filtering out Betty was absolutely enchanted. Jughead was different from the boy she remembered. Apart from the slightly longer hair, he was confident and more sure of himself. He seemed like a totally different person yet somehow still like the boy she grew up with. For once, since Betty left Riverdale, she felt hope. Hope that the man walking beside her was willing to give the two of them another go. And hope that it would work out this time.


End file.
